


Faith When I Fall

by SupremeMasterOverlordKhurro



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Ending, F/M, Feorge, Fred Lives, Fred deserved better, George - Freeform, Gred - Freeform, Harry Potter - Freeform, Hogwarts, Mungos, Newt Scamander maybe, Percy isn't as big of an asshole anymore, Physical Therapy, Shipping, Weasleys, also on FanFiction, fred - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-10-21 05:09:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17636540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SupremeMasterOverlordKhurro/pseuds/SupremeMasterOverlordKhurro
Summary: Fred did not die in the Battle of Hogwarts, but sometimes he wishes he did. Trying to recover physically is hard. He has to relearn how to walk, adjust to living in a body damaged beyond the abilities of magic to heal. Not all injuries are physical, either. Going up stairs is like climbing mountains, walking across a room is like trekking across the whole of Europe on foot, lifting the smallest thing feels like lifting the whole Hogwarts castle by himself. He doesn't know if he can do this.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NonchalantxFish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NonchalantxFish/gifts).



> This story is also on Fanfiction, but I think this might be a better place for it because honestly I forget about Fanfiction sometimes these days.   
> It's been a while since I actually read Harry Potter, so I apologize if something seems off or wrong. 
> 
> I gifted this work to NonchalantxFish because she encouraged me to post this one here and got me wanting to write again! Check out her story!

 

Percy had felt the air pressure change a split second before the world around him exploded, cutting off Fred's voice and filling his ears with a roar so loud he didn't think he'd ever be able to hear again. He blacked out for a second after the impact, and when he came to, his first thoughts were where were his brothers? Ginny hadn't been in the room, but Ron and Fred had. His question was answered a second later when the dust cleared a little and he caught sight of the bright ginger hair that was always the tell-tale Weasley hair. It was Fred, laying several feet further away than he had been standing earlier, and he wasn't moving.

"No, no, Fred, No!" Percy barely heard his own voice as he scrambled over the debris. He dropped down besides the bruised, bloody face of the first of the family to welcome him back, and pushed some of the dirt off his face.

"Fred, Fred wake up, please wake up." He begged quietly, shaking the twin's arm. Ron came up beside him, and then someone new jumped into the room and the sounds of curses flying filled Percy's ears and he launched himself over Fred's body, wanting to protect his younger brother from whatever else was coming. He barely registered when Harry and Hermione came over, didn't notice when they knelt down on the other side of Fred, didn't notice when Hermione took Fred's wrist in her hand, and he didn't notice when they started speaking to him. All that he noticed was Fred was laying too quiet, too still to be Fred. He should be grinning or laughing or teasing or insulting someone, not laying still and quiet. He wasn't even quiet when he slept, not ever!

"Percy!" Ron smacked his arm to get his attention. "He's alive, you git, but we need to get him out of here!"

Percy looked up and saw Harry trying to pick Fred up from under his arms, so Percy grabbed his feet. Together they picked him up and started carrying him, keeping low to avoid curses. Ron and Hermione acted as escorts, deflecting whatever spells came at them.

Alive. Fred was alive. Unconscious then, but alive. That was what mattered. Fred was alive. When they got to the Great Hall, they found it teeming with wizards, healers going from bed to bed, trying to help whoever they could. There was no sound of battle up here. It was quiet, as if someone had put up a sound proof charm, but that was impossible. All the wards had fallen.

"We need a medic!" Percy yelled out, and two healers rushed forward, gesturing to an empty mat on the floor for them to lay Fred on. Ginny had heard Percy's voice, and he vaguely registered seeing her turn towards him from the other side of the room. The healers pushed Percy, Ron, Harry, and Hermione away as they set to work. Percy hovered close though. He regretted every moment he spent disowning his family, every time he said he hated them, every time he yelled at the twins and called them stupid and every horrible thing he had ever said to them. How could he have been so stupid? He should've known Voldemort was back when Harry first claimed it. He knew Harry wasn't a liar, the boy was much more humble than most kids his age. Percy shook his head. He was stupid, and no amount of O. or N.E. could tell him otherwise.

"What happened?" Ginny appeared at his side, her eyes fixed on Fred. "Is he-"

"He's alive." Percy said. "There was an explosion, and Fred was closest to it."

There wasn't much else he could say. He wasn't sure if that was all that had happened. It seemed like forever before he saw more ginger heads weaving through the crowd.

"You! It should've been you, you should be the one on that mat, not Fred!  _You're the one who left us!"_  George launched himself at Percy, looking both furious and upset at the same time.

"George, George, calm down!" Arthur grabbed George from behind and pried him off Percy. "He's still alive, ok? Fred is alive, and we're taking him to St. Mungos. He's still alive."

George pulled away and dropped down beside his bloody-faced twin. Fred was bandaged in several places, and had yet to wake up. The only sign of life was the very faint, ragged rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Molly was crying on the other side of Fred, across from George, trying to do what she could to help the healers clean him up.

"I wish it was me, I do deserve to be the one laying there, I messed up." Percy tried to tell them, guilt eating away at him but he was interrupted by his father wrapping his arms around him.

"It's not your fault, Percy. Don't say it is. This would've happened either way, and there is nothing we could have done to prevent it. He knew the dangers of joining the Order." Arthur assured him. His eyes were glistening.

Madame Pomfrey came over. "The Port Key is ready. There are all sorts of protections set up so no one should be able to track you. Professor McGonagall is going to put extra protection spells on everyone going through. Who are you sending with him?"

Molly looked up at all of her children and husband. She would send them all if she could, but she knew they wouldn't stand for it. She looked at Ginny. "You go with him, okay?"

"But-"

"Ginny, please. You are my only daughter and my youngest. Please, go with Fred." Molly interrupted her. She looked like she wanted to protest, but decided against it.

"I'll go if you all promise to meet there as soon as it ends. All of you." She said.

"We will." Arthur promised. "It'll end soon, and we'll be there."

Ginny nodded, and Madame Pomfrey helped her use a spell to lift Fred off the mat and move him to the port key. Ginny grabbed her unconscious brother's hand, and along with several others who were taking various loved ones to St. Mungos, put her free hand on the old text book they were using as the port key. All injuries that were too severe to be treated here, were being sent to St. Mungos during this hour stalemate Voldemort had given them. She looked back at her family. George was watching, his eyes dull and not a single hint of a smirk on his, no emotion whatsoever there. Ron was next to him, looking upset. Bill, Charlie, and Percy were standing behind their mom, Percy and Bill each with a hand on their mother's shoulders, and their father standing a little behind them. He was the only one who looked hopeful, the only one in the room who looked like he was absolutely positive that the war would end soon and they would win. Then Ginny and Fred and the other injured and escorts were sucked through the vortex that would spit them out at the hospital.

For the rest of the Weasleys, the war ended quickly. They all wanted to avenge Fred. Though no one said it, they all feared he wouldn't make it. They took down Death Eaters left and right.

Then Hagrid came back, carrying Harry's body. Molly almost fainted when she saw it. She couldn't handle the thought of losing him, Harry was practically a son to her. After Fred being in the condition he was in, Bill having been attacked by the werewolf earlier, she wasn't sure she could handle this.

"He's not dead." Ron muttered besides her. "He can't be. We would know. He's faking."

And sure enough, Ron was right. Harry was alive and the war continued and ended. With all the wards and charms down, George was about to apporate out of the grounds to St. Mungo's with ease as soon as they got the clear that the war was over. Percy and Molly followed right after, but Bill, Charlie, and Arthur stayed behind to help the others clean up a little and help the wounded. Their healing skills weren't as good as Molly's, but Charlie had grown pretty good at healing burns after working with dragons for so long.

"How's Fred?" Harry asked as he made his way over to Ron. Hermione was right behind him.

"I don't know. He was in bad shape when they took him to St. Mungo's. George, Percy, and Mum are already there with him. Ginny too." Ron sighed. "I'll go up there soon."

"You should probably go now, before the shields are back up." Hermione suggested.

Ron was quiet for a few seconds. "Could you two come with me? I mean…Fred pretty much considered you two family too."

"Of course." Harry said, and they grabbed hands and spun around, reappearing in the waiting room at St. Mungos. They asked the lady at the front desk where Fred was, and she told them to go up the ICU level. They went up and spotted George coming out of the bathroom.

"George!" Ron called before his older brother could get out of their sight. The one-eared ginger stopped and turned towards the sound of his name. He looked horrible, exhausted and worn down, bags under his bloodshot eyes. Cuts, bruises, and burns covered his skin. He looked as though he hadn't received any medical attention since he left Hogwarts.

"How's Fed?" Ron asked as they got closer.

"Not good." George's voice was scratchy, as if he had a sore throat. He cleared his throat and continued. "Healers say he has 4 broken ribs, a punctured lung, pretty bad concussion, internal bleeding but they can tell from where exactly, a fracture somewhere on his spine. If….Well, they say he….he doesn't have much of a chance of getting through the night." His voice was shaking, and he refused to look at them, staring straight ahead instead as he lead them through the halls. They could tell he was trying his hardest not to cry. "The ribs are an easy fix, and the concussion is too, but the bleeding and the fracture are different. If by some miracle he wakes up, he might have permanent brain damage and might never walk again. Mum already sent a message to Bill, Charlie, and dad by house elf."

They got to the door and Harry and Hermione stopped.

"We'll wait here, it should only be family-" Hermione began, but was interrupted.

"You two  _are_  family." He said, pushing them forward. They didn't protest. Fred had been cleaned up, the blood wiped away and the bandages clean and white again. He was in a hospital gown instead of his torn up robes, and the blankets were laid neatly across his body. On the bedside table was a bowl with icey water in it and a cloth, which Mrs. Weasley was using to wipe Fred's forehead as if he was feverish. A neck brace was around his neck and a wand floated above him, the tip moving up and down with Fred's breathing. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that the wand was helping him breathe, much like the breathing masks that Muggles used.

The silence was brutal. Ginny and Mrs. Weasley sat next to each other beside Fred's bed, not taking their eyes off him as if they expected him to stop breathing if they looked away. Percy was standing against the wall, looking out the window, lost in thought. George walked past the trio and sat down in a chair on the other side of Fred's bed, across from his mom. He took the cloth from his mother to wipe Fred's head himself.

"His fever hasn't changed." Molly said. "It's stayed the same."

"At least it hasn't gone up." Ginny sighed, glancing up to Ron, Hermione, and Harry. "Hey." She greeted. They responded the same as they came further into the room. There was a series of hugs, a few congratulations for killing Voldemort, Molly saying how proud she was of all her children (including Harry and Hermione) with tearful eyes.

Charlie, Bill, and Mr. Weasley joined them shortly after. For a while, everyone sat in the crowded room in silence. A healer would come in every half hour to check on Fred's vitals and to offer coffee and water to everyone else in the room.

"Ya know," Charlie stated, breaking the silence. "I bet Fred would be laughing at us for being so quiet and depressed."

"Are we supposed to be happy?" Ron asked bitterly.

"Well…Voldemort is dead." George said. "And he won't be coming back this time."

"Hogwarts is still standing and it's being repaired as we speak." Bill added.

"Percy came back." Arthur continued quietly.

"We're all together again." Percy stated.

"McGonagall is the new headmaster." Hermione said.

"The ministry is being fixed, and being run by a member of the Order now." Molly put in.

"He'll be glad we're all okay." Charlie stated. "We keep saying we wish it was one of us laying there, but we all know he would rather it be himself and no anyone else."

A small smile broke out on the faces as they listed the things they could be happy about. Fred was still alive, and as long as that wand kept moving above him, there was hope that he would pull through. There was still a chance that he might wake up.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sundays I will try to use as my updating days.   
> I would also like to apologize for any spelling or grammar errors, I kind of felt like I was dying earlier and still don't have the mindset to actually go through and spellcheck everything again, since I wrote this a while ago.   
> I just binged 7 episodes of The Big Bang Theory, if that says anything about my state of mind right now, lol

All nine people stayed in the room overnight with him, taking turns sleeping, wiping his forehead, and sometimes talking to him. There was the speculation that people in comas could still hear, and either way, talking to him as if he were awake had a calming effect on them. Even if he didn't answer.

 

The next morning, Professor McGonagall, now the headmaster of Hogwarts, came in to visit unexpectedly.

"I'm sorry to just barge in, Molly, but you'd be surprised how many people keep asking me about the Weasley twins. Two of the best beaters the Gryffindor team has seen in a very long time, and the only two in the school who managed to make everyone smile despite everything that was happening." She said. "And of course, who could forget what they did to Professor Umbridge? Even if they still drove the rest of us up a wall well more than half the time."

 

George grinned at the memory. "Driving professors up the wall is all a part of the job, Professor. Makes people happier when you all are yelling at us to no effect whatsoever."

 

"I'd give you detention for that if I could." She stated, before looking at Fred. She sighed sadly at the sight of him. At one time, this red-haired boy and his twin had been the devil's advocates in the school, causing just as much if not more trouble than Peeves, probably more than James and Sirius had managed to cause. At one time, this red-haired boy and his twin had been two of the best students at transfiguration that she had seen.

 

"If the two of you would've worked harder on the written part of your Transfiguration O.W.Ls , you both would've probably scored the highest marks." She stated, glancing up at George.

"Fred turned my teddy bear into a spider when he was five." Ron said.

"He wanted to make it grow too, but didn't know how." George told Ron.

"I'm glad he didn't!" Ron couldn't imagine that horror.

"Yeah, but it would've been pretty funny." George stated.

"No it wouldn't!" Ron protested.

 

"Well, either way Ron, you inspired us to make a product that turns teddy bears into large bugs to scare younger siblings or prank friends. We're thinking of calling them Screaming Ronalds-"

"George, stop it!" Molly scolded.

"I'm just telling him what we're doing." George shrugged. Molly sighed and shook her head, muttering something under her breath.

 

McGonagall watched the exchange with a hint of amusement on her face.

"Anyway, there are a lot of people who want to come visit to see how Fred is. Old team mates, other kids from his year. Somehow even Oliver Wood found out, and the boy who was Team Captain before him, back when Fred first joined the team. I told them to wait until I spoke to you first." She said, turning to Mrs. Weasley.

 

Mrs. Weasley frowned. "I don't think visitors is a good idea just year. Family is different –Harry, Hermione, don't you dare try to say you aren't family-, but I don't think it's a good idea to have a bunch of friends come in just yet."

"Alright, I'm sure they'll understand." She nodded, and turned once more to Fred. George was sitting in a chair by Fred's head. "I'm almost afraid to say that you two will be a legend in Hogwarts. With as dramatic of an exit…" She shook her head. "It'll be a story told long after I retire."

 

George grinned at her. "No Weasley generation comes and goes quietly, Professor. We've got a family tradition to keep up."

That was something their dad had told them when their parents first found out that Fred and George dropped out of school. Instead of being mad like their mother was, Mr. Weasley had laughed and said that every generation of Weasley's that go through, there's always that one or two that make a dramatic exit, whether it's by death, memorable farewell words (normally very colorful language), leaving the school with the hottest girl, or breaking something valuable. It just seemed as though the twins set the bar high for the next generation.

 

McGonagall looked at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. "I wish you both good luck and a Fred a fast recovery." She said, and nodded in farewell to the rest before leaving. They family settled back into silence, all wondering what would happen next. 

 

~~

  
  


For a whole 3 and a half months, Fred laid perfectly still, unresponsive, in a coma. For the 1st week, the family took turns staying with and helping repair the damage done by the Death Eaters. George would never leave Fred's side though, and if he did leave, it was only to use the bathroom across the hall or to take a very quick shower. Whoever visited Fred that day would bring George clothes and sometimes snacks or news about how the repairs were going.

It had taken a while to convince Percy to leave Fred's side too, as guilt was keeping him there. Everyday however, he would still go visit, often bringing snacks for George or letters that the twins get, whether it was a get well card for Fred, questions about when the shop would open again, or simply a hello, asking about George was holding up and if there was anything they could do to help.

 

One day Harry, who had been staying with the Weasleys for the past few months, went to visit Fred and George again with Hermione and Ron. George, who had been up most of the night talking to healers and watching Fred's breathing, was passed out in the extra bed they brought in for him. He had lost weight, and was curled up on his side facing Fred.

"That's the one thing they do different." Ron stated, watching his brothers. The other two gave him questioning looks. "George is quiet when he sleeps, unless he has a cold or something. And he normally sleeps on his side and curled up. Fred, on the other hand, lays on his back or stomach and stretches out, he snores, and drools in his sleep. Unless he's sick, then he'll curl up on his side."

 

"That can't be the only difference." Hermione said.

"If you want to go a little deeper, Fred is more likely to be the mastermind behind their crueler pranks and is better at transfiguration while George is better at Potions. Not by much of course. And I dunno, maybe one washes their feet first while the other washes their hand." Ron shrugged. "I don't spend my time at home studying them."

"They dress the same, sound the same, and they finish each other's sentences." Harry added. "Poster children for twins."

 

They settled into silence for a while. There wasn't much to say really.

"You know Fred, you're really stressing mum out." Ron broke the silence, looking at his unconscious brother. "She hasn't slept in days. And she keeps making an extra plate at meal times."

 

Hermione thought she saw Fred's eyes flicker under his eyelids. "Ron, keep talking." She ordered, alert for any other signs of movement.

"Dad too. He works all day and is exhausted by the time he gets home. He falls asleep before he gets the chance to come see you. But there's too much work to do at the Ministry for him to get any time off. He tries though, Fred, he really does. And Ginny is really upset too. She wanted to come today but she has a cold and the healers say they don't think you'd be able to fight it off if you got it. George barely leaves your side and Percy comes every day." Ron continued. "He's trying to make up for what he did. And he keeps saying he wishes you and George were home, because it doesn't feel like home without the two of you driving him crazy."

 

Now Ron and Harry saw it too. Fred's mouth twitched, like eh wanted to say something.

"Fred, can you hear me? Turn your head towards my voice if you can hear me." Ron was on the edge of his chair, staring intently at Fred.

 

Very slowly, Fred's head turned slightly in the direction of Ron's voice. The neck brace was still on, preventing him from turning his head much further than he did.

"Can you understand me, Fred?" Ron asked, knowing that Fred might not have understood what he said earlier, but was rather just trying to hear the voice better. George did that sometimes now, since he only had one ear. He would tilt his head slightly to hear better. "If you can understand me, try to open your eyes."

 

A few long seconds passed before Fred's eyelids began to flutter, and eventually opened. Brown eyes unfocused at first and far away, be finally Fred seemed able to focus on something and tilted his head very slightly towards the trio. Ron couldn't speak. He never thought he would see those brown eyes look at him again, at least not from Fred's face.

"Can you speak?" Harry asked, seeing Ron wasn't going to say anything. Fred's face twisted into a look of intense concentration and he seemed to be trying to remember how to speak. His eyes were unfocused again.

 

"P-per….Percy?" He finally managed to croak out after a few minutes. He was looking towards Harry. Harry looked around him, but the only ginger next to him was Ron.

"You're glasses." Hermione said. "You borrowed Percy's glasses because you broke yours again and didn't want to have to fix them again."

 

They looked back at Fred, but he was looking the other way now, at George.

"G-ger…" He made a frustrated grunting sound. "Geor…ge?"

"Yes, that's George." Ron finally found his voice again. "He hasn't left your side."

Fred looked back towards the trio, looking at Ron. "R…Ronnn." He managed to say his name a little easier, seeing at it was much shorter. He looked towards Hermione, but his eyes seemed to be losing focus again. "G…Gin-ney?"

 

"Hermione." She corrected patiently. "Ginny is at the Burrow."

"Hm." Fred hummed, and closed his eyes, growing still again. A few seconds later though, he was snoring.

The trio looked at each other, grinning. Finally, after all this time, Fred was awake. Wanting to inform the rest of the Weasleys in their multiple locations, they each sent a message with their Patronus. Harry's stag ran to the Burrow were Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were. Ron's weasel, much like his fathers, ran off to the ministry to tell Mr. Weasley and Percy. Hermione's otter ran to tell Bill and Fleur at Gringotts.

 

"What about Charlie?" Harry asked. Ron went over to George and shook him roughly.

"Ernnnn….five more minutes…" George groaned, pulling the blankets over his head.

"No, get up! Fred was awake and you need to send a patronus to Charlie!" Ron shook him still. George sat up so fast he slammed his head into Ron's.

"Ow!" Ron yelped, jumping back and rubbing his forehead.

"He's awake?!" George was on his feet at Fred's side.

 

"He was. He fell asleep again, and he was only awake for a few minutes and pretty disoriented." Hermione explained. "We sent patronouses to everyone but Charlie, could you-"

She didn't even have to finish before a silver fox sprung out of George's wand and ran out of the window to find Charlie. George was wide awake.

 

"What happened when he woke up? Did he say anything? Does he remember what happened?" He asked, looking at the three of them. Harry explained how Ron had been talking to him and how Fred must've heard it and woken up, how he thought Harry was Percy because of the glasses, Hermione was Ginny, and how he recognized Ron and George right away. George looked at Fred as if he expected his twin to sit up and start joking like old times. Fred was still snoring though, drooling a bit as well.

Within half an hour, the rest of the Weasley's were there. The healers made Ginny wear a mask over her nose and mouth to prevent Fred from getting sick. The room was as crowded as it was when Fred first got here.

 

"Maybe we should wake him up." George suggested a few hours later. He had been restless since Ron woke up earlier. He hadn't even wanted to leave the room to use the bathroom because he was afraid he was going to miss it. Mrs. Weasley had to nearly chase him out with her wand.

"No, he needs to rest." Molly said.

"He's had three months!"

 

"A  _ wall  _ fell on him. He was in a coma for three months, not sleeping." Ginny pointed out. "From what Harry said, Fred was out of it and no doubt still needs some rest."

George didn't protest but got up and started pacing the room again. Healers were in and out of the room every few minutes now to check on him since they told them he had been awake them. However, he wasn't until dinner time that Fred stirred again. The first sign he was waking up was a quiet groan, shifting his head from one side to the other slowly a few times. He seemed uncomfortable, as if he was in pain somewhere.

 

"Fred?" George asked, looking up from his perch beside Fred's bed. At the sound of his twin's voice, Fred turned his head slowly towards George and his eyes twitched a few times before finally opening.

"Fred." George managed to choke out, grabbing his brother's hand gently in his own. Molly already had tears of joy and relief spilling down her face, holding onto Arthur as if her life depended on it. Percy was right at Fred's other side, looking like a huge weight had just been lifted from his shoulders. Ginny was next to Percy and Charlie and Bill were at the end of the bed, looking beyond relieved.

 

"George" Fred muttered, voice hoarse from lack of use, but clear than before. His eyes were a little more focused, but he still seemed unable to see completely clearly. His eyes scanned the room, taking in parts of his surroundings. His eyes rested on each person around him and he said their name. "Mum….dad….Bill….C..Charlie….Percy...G-ginny…Ron….Harry… Herm-….Hermione."

 

He seemed to struggle with the longer names, but he recognized everyone correctly this time. Molly cried even harder. Fred looked back to George, who was still holding his hand and staring at him as if he might disappear. Fred gave his brother's hand small, weak squeeze. That seemed to break George's self control and a few tears escaped, which he quickly wiped away.

A healer walked in then, smiling when she saw he was awake. Making her way to the side of his bed, she checked the charts before speaking.

"Fred, can you hear me?" She asked.

"Yes." He nodded very slightly.

"Good. Do you know where you are?"

"No."

"Can you tell me the last thing you remember?"

 

Fred thought for a few seconds. "Hogwarts." He said. His voice was getting a clearer, less hoarse. "We were at H-Hogwarts…and Percy….he came back. T-t-there was a batt-t-t-tle. Death eaterrss everywhere." His voice still shook however, and it seemed to take a lot of effort for him to pronounce a lot of words. He stuttered and slurred his words a few times.

 

"Anything else?" The healer prompted.

"No. Is the battle over?" He looked over towards his mother with wide eyes. "Is-"

"Shhh, it's over." She assured him, coming to stand next to him and wiping his forehead. "It's over. He-who-must-not-be-named is dead. It's over."

Fred relaxed a little. He closed his eyes for a few moments before opening them again. "Where am I?"

 

"St. Mungos hospital." Arthur told him, coming up beside Molly. "A death eater sent a curse that blew up the wall behind you. You gave us quite a scare."

Fred tried to remember it, but couldn't. Everything was blank after he set off with Percy into the battle and split up from George.

"It's my fault Fred, I should've-"

"For the 100th time Percy, there's nothing you could've done!" George exclaimed, looking a bit annoyed with his brother. "And it's too late now anyway."

 

"Fred, are you in pain?" The healer spoke up again, drawing Fred's attention back to her.

"Yes." Fred answered. "Everywhere."

The healer frowned. "Can you tell me where it hurts the most?"

Fred thought for a little while. "No. It's everywhere."

The healer continued to frown and moved to the end of the bed, pulling the blankets up a little to reveal Fred's feet. "Try to wiggle your toes for me."

Fred concentrated hard and managed to wiggle them a little. But even that small amount of movement seemed to exhaust him.

 

"Good." She pulled the blanket back down over his feet. She continued with little tests like this for a while, asking him to tell her how many fingers she was holding up, deep breaths so she could listen to his lungs, roll his eyes, open and close his fist, and bend his knees. Bending his knees seemed the hardest for him. It made his face turn red and he started to sweat from the strain of it. He could barely get them an inch off the bed without the pain being too much. The healer didn't want to push it, so she told him he could stop and that he would be done for the day.

 

"Considering everything that happened, you're lucky. Some physical therapy, and you might be able to walk again and do things like everyone else. It's going to be a long recovery though, and it's going to be hard, but it can be done. I'm not sure about your memory, that might come back or it might now. Ouu might not even want it back." She went over to his head and took the neck brace off after determining it was safe to do so. "You're ribs healed up nicely and I believe the puncture in your left lung is all healed up and it seems as though your concussion is healing very nicely as well. Our biggest concern for now if that fracture in your spine. Now I'm going to get you something for the pain, okay?" she said, turning and leaving the room.

 

George turned to Fred. "Are you okay?" He asked him.

Fred didn't answer. He was exhausted and in pain and wanted nothing more than to melt back into the darkness for a while. Mrs. Weasley took the cloth from the bucket of ice water and wiped Fred's forehead a few times to cool him off. He closed his eyes at her touch, remembering the times when he was little and had been sick and his mother had sat by his bedside doing the very thing she was doing now.

"Here, drink this.”

 

Fred opened his eyes again as the healer came back in. She held the cup for him while he sipped some of the potion. He recognized the taste of it from Hogwarts, when a few games in his first year on the team had ended in broken bones and concussions. It would make his body numb for a while and pull him into a dreamless sleep. It was very hard to make and it took a lot time to be ready. When Harry had lost the bones in his arm, they didn't have any of this stuff to make him comfortable. Fred drank it greedily. The effects started instantly. His eyes drooped and it was only a few short minutes before he was out cold, snoring and drooling again.

 


	3. Chapter 3

The next few weeks were very long and hard for Fred. Physical therapy was like living hell to him. At first, it was little things like walking from his bed to the door and back. Pick up a few things, put down a few things, open and close things. But then they started getting to the heavier things to lift and put down, harder things to open and close, and further to walk. They took a wheelchair with him whenever they went on longer walks just in case. It wasn't so much his legs that were hurting him (although they certainly were), it was his back. Ever had a back spasm? It felt like that whenever he stood up. Painful to the point he couldn't breathe. The pain had, a few times, actually brought him to tears. The only tears he had spilled for years, probably since he was still a child in diapers, had been tears of laughter. Now, it was pain and stress. George helped him a lot with the harder things, letting Fred lean on him sometimes and just being together made it easier.

A few hours after another session, Fred was laying in the hospital bed just waking up from a medically-induced nap. It had been the most painful session yet, and the healers had decided to be merciful and give him something to help him sleep it off. Tomorrow would be something a little easier, and he would probably be able to stay in bed for it. George and Ron were visiting him.

For the past hour or so, it had been small talk. George and Ron updated Fred on the repairs at Hogwarts, the new things being done to make sure something like Voldemort never happened again, what was being done with Sirius's old house, what had been going on at home.

"Hey George?" Fred interrupted. His speech had gotten mostly back to normal now, though if he was really tired or just waking up, he would stutter and his words would slur together.

"Yeah?" George stopped his talking about Harry and Ginny to look at his twin.

"Go open the shop please."

George looked taken aback. "The shop? But…but I can't do it myself, Fred. You need to-"

"Take Ron with you. It doesn't take a genius to put things on a shelf." Fred interrupted again. "Mum can't pay this hospital bill, no matter how much she's going to try. Dad isn't going to make enough to pay it off either. Plus we need to pay rent soon. They aren't going to go easy on us just because I'm in the hospital and you have one ear. Have Lee help you too. Or maybe even Ginny and Harry."

George frowned. "But it won't be the same-"

"Bloody hell, George, it's not like I'm not going to come back to the shop. It's only temporary, then I'll be back. We just need the money." Fred rolled his eyes. "Besides, we need to get the Screaming Ronalds on the shelf soon."

Ron glared at Fred. "Do they have to be called that?"

"Yes, they do. We already copy righted it." Fred nodded.

"Since I'm the inspiration, do I get a percentage of the money?"

"No. I was the one who turned your bear into the spider, so none of this would've been possible without my childhood temper."

"But if I didn't break your broom stick-"

"You wouldn't have a fear of spiders as early as you did. But I probably still would've done something to make you afraid of spiders. So shut up, and go with George to open the shop."

"Do I get employee discount?"

"Depends on how the shop looks when I get back. I want that counter spotless, the windows spotless, the shelves dustless!"

George grinned. "So Ron can be the janitor while Lee stocks the shelves and I work register."

"Sounds good to me. Maybe Ron could keep the job of janitor. We can call him Filch Jr. He already has half a cat." Fred agreed.

"No!" Ron protested, then registered the rest of what Fred said. "Half a cat?"

"You're dating Hermione aren't you? She has a cat, and her cat likes to bite you. Cats are hateful creatures, so it chose you as it's personal scratching post. I guess you could consider half ownership." Fred explained.

If Fred didn't share a hospital room with a small child, Ron would've had a few choice words said to Fred. But not wanting to scar the child for life, he just made a rude gesture.

"Love you too, Ronnikins." Fred cooed in his normal playful manner. George smiled to see his twin acting like his old self again.

"So I guess I'll go open the shop for a few hours. But I'm still coming to visit every day." He told his twin.

"Sounds good to me." Fred nodded. "I think a nap sounds really good right now though. Could you ask mum to bring me a plate tonight instead of the hospital food?"

"Of course." George nodded, and Fred sighed contentedly and closed his eyes. George turned to Ron.

"Come, Ron, we have work to do." He said dramatically, pointing forward and marching out of the room. Ron rolled his eyes and followed him.

It was that very night that Fred got the best news yet. As he sat with his mother and had dinner (she brought him a huge plate of turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, and bread), a healer came in with a clipboard.

"Fred Weasley?" She asked, looking up.

Fred's mouth was too full to answer clearly, so he mumbled something that sounds a little like 'that's me' or 'holy cheese'.

"He's right here." Molly said, looking curious and protective at the same time. This was a new healer neither of them had spoken to before, and they had talked to enough healers by now to be on first name basis with half the staff.

The healer smiled. "I have good news. Tomorrow morning you can go home after your therapy. A healer will be by once a week to check on if you're keeping up with therapy and to see how you're doing. By tomorrow morning they should have a list prepared of things they want you to do."

"I can go home?" Fred asked, not registering the rest. Who cares what he had to do at home? The whole point was he was going home. Home, the Burrow, with his family and have real food and his own bed, and his own routine. Home. No more nights in the hospital, in the cold, dark, sterile hospital room with the bad-tempered child next to him. No more listening to people crying out at night in pain. His mom had tears of relief and joy in her eyes.

"Tomorrow morning." The healer nodded, smiling at the reactions she got. If there was anything that made a healer's day, it was seeing the faces of the patients who got to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well so much for every Sunday, I missed last Sunday. Sorry guys (if anyone actually reads this, lol)


	4. Chapter 4

Morning couldn't have come fast enough. Fred couldn't wait to get out of this hospital and go back home, back to the Burrow. See all his family again, have dinners at the table, go back to the shop and eventually get back to living above the shop with George. Just anything to get out of this sterile, cold room. To make the walking a little easier, the hospital would be sending Fred home with a wheelchair that was charmed to shrink down to pocket-sized when not in use and a walker that was charmed the same way. The walker had a seat attached to it as well. Molly and George were helping him get back into the house today, while Ginny stayed home with Ron and Percy. They were switching around the bedrooms, giving Fred and George Ginny's room while she took theirs. That way, there was only one staircase Fred would have to go up.

After an hour of physical therapy, thankfully done in bed this time, the discharge papers were signed and in order, and Fred was released. After yesterday's particularly hard physical therapy session, Fred had to use the walker. His back was still aching horribly, bad enough it was almost hard to breath. But he was determined to get home. They used floo powder, since that would be safer than apporating and easier than a port key. George went first, so he could help Fred get out of the fireplace afterwards and catch him if he had to. Fred stepped into the hospital's fireplace, said 'the burrow' loud and clear as he threw down the dust, and with a poof, he was no longer at the hospital. Instead, he was home. Well, the fireplace of the Burrow, but home nonetheless. George helped him maneuver the walker onto the ground, and then their mum came through. The transporting had caused a little extra pain in Fred's back, so he made his way to the couch and sat down, and looked around the house.

The whole place had been decorated. 'Welcome Home Fred!' floated above the fireplace, streamers hung from the ceiling, Christmas lights hung around door frames, and Fred could smell something sweet cooking in the kitchen. Percy, Ron, and Ginny came stampeding down the stairs at the sounds of the other three arriving.

"We finished!" Ginny announced. "The room is all set up. And Percy brought all the boxes to the shop, so they're up in your flat somewhere." She told the twins.

"Dinner is already in the oven too." Molly said, walking around the boys to get back to the kitchen. "It should be ready in a few more hours, by the time your dad will be home!"

"Sit, you look like you're in pain." Percy insisted, gesturing to the couch. Fred didn't protest that, stiffly making his way to the couch and slowly lowering himself down.

"I'm always in pain. Some days just less than others." He stated, closing his eyes at the relief of sitting. He felt Percy ruffle his hair, something his older brother rarely ever did. It was something all the Weasleys did to each other. They always rubbed each other's heads.

"That'll get better eventually." Ron stated, sitting down on one side of Fred while George took the other side. Percy sat on the recliner chair across from the couch and Ginny sat on the other side of George. They all started to fill him in on things he had missed out on since he woke up in the hospital.

According to George, the Screaming Ronalds would be ready for the shelf in just a few a days. The shop had been as busy as it was when it first opened, and George had been able to call in Angelina and Lee to help out since it was too much for just 2 people (one inexperienced) to handle. They had earned in that one day enough to pay 3/4s of the hospital bill. Fred was relieved to hear that, and though she would never admit, Fred was sure that his mom was relieved too. The excitement of being home made the physical therapy much easier, too. He walked around the house and in the yard, and he was never left alone for very long. Ginny said owls had come just this morning with the school lists for what she needed for the next year. Ron decided he would go back to finish his 7th year, along with Hermione and Harry. Percy was trying to get a new job in the Ministry, but promised he wouldn't let it get to his head this time.

Dinner came and George helped Fred to the table. He sat near the end this time, so he could get in and out easier. Arthur sat at the head closest to Fred, and Percy was right across from him, then Ron, Ginny, Mum at the other end, Billy, Charlie, and George. Fleur was visiting her family in France for the weekend.

The dinner was a rather large dinner, including ham, potatoes, corn, bread, peas, carrots, chicken, salad, green beans drenched in butter, and gravy.

"Are we feeding all of England?" George asked, raising an eye brow at the amount of food. His question went unanswered as everyone dug in. To Fred, his mother's cooking tasted much better at home than it had at the hospital. Fred ate as much of it as he could, before they all moved back into the living room and Fred sat back down on the couch. It felt like Christmas to Fred, sitting between George and Charlie, being able to see everyone else. With full stomachs, it didn't take long for people to start heading up to their bedrooms.

"It's good to have you home, Freddie." Bill said as he headed up, ruffling Fred's hair as he passed behind him. Fred ducked out of the way, swatting at his older brother. It wasn't often they called Fred 'Freddie', not since he had been a little boy, maybe around 7. Then he had very firmly, as firm as a 7 year old could, told them to stop calling him that because that was a baby name and he wasn't a baby anymore. They had all laughed a little at him for that, but had listened. Now they only called him 'Freddie' on "special occasions".

After a few more minutes, George yawned. "Ready to go up, Fred?" He asked. Fred nodded, and pushed himself to his feet. He was slow and stiff, still recovering from yesterdays session of physical therapy, plus the long day of being home finally. George got up after him and stayed behind him all the way up the stairs. The stairs were going to be a challenge. Fred was slow going up. Their bedroom was now where Ginny's used to be, so there would be less stairs to climb. Regardless how many, stairs were still hard for Fred. George watched his twin carefully as Fred made his way to his bed. He laid down and sighed in relief, finding that laying down was even more comfortable for his back than sitting had been.

"One of the best feelings in the world is being back in my own bed after so long in that hospital bed." He stated blissfully, closing his eyes.

"Things are gonna get back to normal soon, I hope." George said. "Maybe tomorrow we can go to Diagon Ally and you can get a new wand and visit the shop. Angelina said she can handle it for tomorrow. I talked to her earlier, she said her and Katie can hold it down for a day or two."

"I can't walk enough to get around Diagon ally, George." Fred pointed out, frowning. "It still hurts."

"We can bring your wheelchair or your walker." George said quietly. George pulled the little chair from his own pocket, and put it on the nightstand that was between their beds. "If you start to feel pain, we can take it out and I'll push you around for a while. But the healers said it would be good for you to get out of the house and walk around."

"Maybe. Go to sleep George. I'll let you know what I want to do in the morning." Fred sighed, and moved under the covers. He struggled to get the blanket out from under him, and George had to help him. As he helped, he could see the look of depression in Fred's eyes. Fred had never liked not being able to do things on his own, but now even some of the smallest things proved to be hard for him. He was determined to help his brother though in any way possible. He would do everything he could to keep Fred going and get him back to his old self. All the Weasley children had agreed the night before that no matter what it took, they would get Fred back on his feet and back to normal. They had to.


End file.
